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UAE's Indian community gears up for Independence Day

Dubai/Abu Dhabi - An official at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi said celebrations are set to be extra special.

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Diplomatic missions and Indian residents across the UAE are ready to celebrate India's 73rd Independence Day on August 15. While a special statue of Mahatma Gandhi will be unveiled in the Capital, separate celebrations are set to take place in Indian associations across the UAE.

An official at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi said celebrations are set to be extra special. A statue of Mahatma Gandhi will be unveiled at the embassy to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the 'Father of the Nation', he said.

"Indian Ambassador to the UAE Navdeep Singh Suri will hoist the national flag by 8am and later unveil the statue. It will be followed by cultural programmes. Security protocol will be in place, so Indian expats are urged to come by 7.15am to avoid any hassle," the embassy official said.

Separately, five registered Indian associations in the Capital - India Social and Culture Centre (ISC), Abu Dhabi Malayalee Samajam, Kerala Social Centre, India Islamic Centre and Indian Ladies Association, will host Independence Day celebrations.

The tri-colour will be unfurled by the committee members at the ISC at 7am. Also, there will be cultural programmes at the ISC main hall from 8.30pm.

Celebrations in Dubai

Neeraj Agarwal, consul for Press, information and culture, said the flag-hoisting ceremony will be held at 8.30am at the Indian Consulate in Dubai. He encouraged guests to arrive early to avoid possible traffic jams.

"It's a working day. Arriving early would also ensure that they would get good parking spots," said Agarwal.

"The flag-hoisting ceremony will be followed by a speech by the Consul-General of India in Dubai. The day's events will end with a 20-minute cultural programme," he added.

The consulate is also hosting a special screening of Bollywood film Mission Mangal.

Separate flag-hoisting ceremonies are set to take place in Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah.

Besides missions and organisations, Indian expatriates across the UAE are also gearing up for the festivities. As preparations went in full swing, members of community looked back at how far India has come and how strong its relations with the UAE has become.

Dr Azad Moopen, founder chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare, said: "As we celebrate India's 73rd Independence Day, I applaud the efforts of the Indian government and our people in prioritising health and wellbeing.

"We have come a long way, and there are more opportunities to shape the healthcare sector and ensure people get to lead healthy, happy lives."

Bal Krishen, CEO of Century Financial, said: "Relations between the UAE and India are at a historic high. The strong bond between two countries has been nurtured as both countries seek to deepen cooperation in various fields."

ashwani@khaleejtimes.com